Supercharged Classics Set 1
Released by RSVP Magic
What the blurb says:
So, why should you by these DVDS? Well maybe its because its not all card tricks, Or maybe it's because they have 11 full working routines on them that are split into two fully working sets that you will be able to use. Maybe its because with nothing else but these DVDS you will have enough working material to go out and earn a living from magic. Or maybe it's because they're full of hints and tips about working as a magician.

Whatever your reasons, these dvds will help. You probably knew that though, because you’re smart and that's what got you this far. So go on, go for it.... you'll like these DVDs, honest.

DISC ONE

Turbo Cup - The greatest opening routine ever. Mark tips the psychology behind why this routine puts you head and shoulders above the rest. Superfast and full of huge laughs.

Though Of Card Under Glass - Blow them away within one minute of getting the deck out Does exactly what it says on the label!

OmniBitious - A logical, funny and practical routine for this timeless classic. Mark shows you how to put his ambitious formula to all of your routines and triple the reactions you’re getting… instantly.

IDR - Do you own an invisible deck? Are you using it? If you just answered no, that's about to change.
Bonus - Chicago Quadropener - Marks signature multi-phase routine. Full of cheeky convincers and clever thinking, this routine could soon become the only card trick you do at a table.


Well, what a brilliant DVD. The difference between this and many, many other DVDs is that Mark teaches professional, we structured routines as opposed to lots of individual tricks. Mark has put a lot of thought into these routines so that everything progresses naturally. There is no “dead air” and some of the things Mark gets away with are so bold that you can’t help but to laugh out loud when you see the simplicity of some of the routines.

Mark works by using a mountain of misdirection to achieve miracles. He also explains every little nuance which he has refined over years of performing, things from the misdirection, the thinking behind things, down to pocket management.

The routine itself in its entirety works well. Starting with his fantastic chop cup routine (which, by the way is pretty easy to follow and only uses a couple of basic moves) ends with the production of two lemons. From there, he leads onto his thought of card under cup. He uses the chop cup as the place where the card appears, which logically makes sense. The thought of card under cup is absolutely brilliant and a real workers dream – something which I know will be going straight into my set. The routine finishes with Omni-bitious, a nice, bold, fast paced ambitious card routine with a stunning bold use of the Omni-deck.

In the bonus section, we see Mark perform the Invisible deck. Its a great presentation of the effect. Nothing more really needs to be said here!
The second bonus is my absolute FAVORITE routine from the DVD. Chicago Quadropener is just an absolutely brilliant multi-phase routine combining colour changing decks, the classic Chicago Opener and a super sweet suprise climax. This is something that will definitely be going into my repertoire. Its got all the best elements of card magic in it and nobody will second guess you on the finish. This routine could easily be the only card routine you have to do.

Overall, Mark is a brilliant teacher. He doesn’t leave anything out and explains everything fully and the thinking behind aspects of the routine. You can tell Mark is a successful worker from this DVD.

You could easily take this DVD, learn it completely and go out and earn a professional living with this one set alone.

Please don’t buy theses DVDs though... I want it all for myself!!!

10/10 by far





Supercharged Classics Set 2
Released by RSVP Magic
What the blurb says:
So, why should you by these DVDS? Well maybe its because its not all card tricks, Or maybe it's because they have 11 full working routines on them that are split into two fully working sets that you will be able to use. Maybe its because with nothing else but these DVDS you will have enough working material to go out and earn a living from magic. Or maybe it's because they're full of hints and tips about working as a magician.

Whatever your reasons, these dvds will help. You probably knew that though, because you’re smart and that's what got you this far. So go on, go for it.... you'll like these DVDs, honest.



DISC TWO

Thought Of Cards To Pocket - A 'Real Worker' that has a place in your 'Real Working repertoire.

Multiple Selection - 5 or 6 Spectators get totally blown away at once with this easy to master miracle.

Logical Sponge Balls - All of the greatest elements of sponge magic crammed into this superfast monster routine.

Plus

Bonus Item - Marks thoughts on the classic Pat Page drink production and how to get into it 'on the fly' whilst at the table.
Plus

C/U Card Stab - A card stab routine for the close up performer, billed as the most dangerous trick you have ever done.

Skittled - A torn and restored as you have never seen it before. Tear the corner from a skittles packet, remove some skittles, seal back on the corner. Just when they think its over, the skittles packet visually changes into M&Ms.

Plus
Hints & Tips on Approach, Dealing with Staff, Tips...

He’s done it again! Another brilliant, action packed set is taught in full detail with all the little nuances that can only be discovered from thousands of performances. The routines are full of brilliant, hard hitting punches – and the audiences love what Mark does. I was thoroughly entertained watching Mark perform his logical but bold routines.

The thought of card to pocket is a great opener to the set combining a touch of mentalism with a classic plot in magic. The routine is taught in full in an easy to follow (and entertaining) manner. He also teaches the outs you may need should the variables change. There aren’t any difficult moves and as always it’s got a nice bold element to it. The routine leads into a multiple selection routine. Watching it, I found that Mark and myself have very very similar multiple selection handlings, but I still learnt something from watching him! I loved the full deck to pocket phase of his routine. Another strong and commercial routine! Mark closes the set with his logical sponge balls. Yet again, a lovely commercial routine that lives up to it’s name. The routine gets gasps and applause throughout. Filled with natural misdirection this routine is a winner from the start. The explaination for this is an absolute hoot as well – I couldn’t stop laughing!! I usually work with the rabbits which can sometimes be a lot to carry so this is yet another routine which I know I will be using regularly due to the entertaining routine and the pocket space elements!

Now, onto the bonus section. Skittled is such a cute routine which really made me smile. It’s got some lovely little phases to it and to top it off – it’s bleedin’ simple and direct and yet again uses some bold method! Top notch off-beat routine. The Close up Card stab is a simple routine which works well and the audience seems to lap up using a simple gimmick and a nice stroyline

The sections in the DVD with Mark discussing table approach, tips etc are great. It’s always nice to hear peoples theories on how to operate whilst working. The ONLY thing that I didn’t agree with was his thoughts on tips, but that’s just a personal thing. Anybody just starting out as a Magician or just approaching going into the world of table magic will learn LOTS from Mark here. Listen to what he says because it’s golden advice.

Overall, another top production from Mark. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the DVDs and I fell I have learnt a lot despite the fact that Mark and myself work the same settings for our bread and butter. If you want to get into working tables then definitely buy the DVD.

I look forward to future releases from Mark – but please don’t buy them because I want them all to myself!

10/10 again!

My thoughts on disc 1 are here:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=111

Disc 2:
I'll try to be brief, as most of my opinions on the set are on the above link, but to summarise-
Excellent production, sound & menus. Typical RSVP high quality.
There is great work on crediting throughout, top notch.
Mark is a funny guy, who entertains the spectators with lots of humour and banter. All sleights and methods are logical and economical to allow the focus to remain on the presentation.
The explanations are clear, concise, and often amusing. Mark gives advice to budding (or working) magicians in a couple of dedicated sections, with various nuggets of wisdom scattered throughout the explanations.
Mark really does stress important points such as getting the customers to mention the magic to the restaurant boss.

Effects:
Thought of cards to pocket - A solid piece of magic, that I enjoyed watching.

Multiple selection - This is the reason I brought the DVD. I really like Mark's work on this. The card control aspect of the routine is straight forward - exactly what is needed while under fire. I'll definitely combine elements of this in my own 'work in progress' routine.

Logical sponge balls - My own routine is a short, Carney inspired 2 ball routine. Mark's 3 ball routine is fast paced and gets great reactions. There are a couple of bits that I really like and will incorporate into my own work. In fact, Mark's choice of using three balls gives a lot more scope for 'jazzing'. If you don't do sponge balls, or are not getting big reactions, then this really is worth learning.
The only small point I will make (in the interest of giving a balanced review) is that the routine ends with the balls vanishing, and this doesn't seem like such a climax. The magic is so strong throughout, I wonder if a 'kicker' such as a multi ball / sponge square / appearing mouse (a Carney idea) etc. would make the ending the high(est) point. Mark has probably developed this to include a built in reset, and to consider pocket space, so it is very logical (Mark does discuss his choice in the explanation). Still, I just thought I’d mention it!

Drink production - Mark's work on the Pat Page effect. A very useful piece of business.

Royal Stab - A solid effect with a single gaff card, which seems to get a good reaction.

Skittled - A fun (easy) quickie, that is very off the wall.

Conclusion:
Disc two is very strong with diverse effects. Mark again does a great job, and it is a real asset seeing the performances in a commercial setting. Both discs are excellent value in this age of single item downloads. The pre-order offer (which may have now ended) makes it a real incentive to join the RSVP mailing list.
I would be surprised if anyone buying this was not happy with the purchase, and did not gain at least one effect, and several useful bits of advice.

Hello Guys,

Thanks very much for your reviews and I'm really happy that you both enjoyed each volume.

Best,
Russ

Love the DVDs. Not much for wordy reviews, the guys above went into detail. These DVDs have solid routines of workable magic with good table hopping advice. Mark is a likeable, funny guy. The "keep em laughing" style is not to everyone's taste but it is exactly to mine. 2 thumbs up

Bought part 1 from the shop this weekend.Very impressed . I have actually seen Mark do this act a few times in local restaurants and it really does go down as well as it shows on the DVD . For anyone looking at getting into the restaurant market this is an ideal DVD. All the effects are very strong and easy to do.
I believe he is doing a lecture on 4th August in Blackpool

The effect presented in the demo looks awesome! Looks like promising stuffs!

These two DVDs are realy great great great : great material, great presentation, great explanations...

Philippe Day

Hey Guys,
These are some of the BEST DVDs the market has seen in the past year. FOR SURE!
Mr. Wolf

These DVDs offer the 3 Qs

Quantity
Quality

er

Quite good

Excellent set, I'm french a rather a beginner and I found everyhting very usefull and practical. Really great, I'll work on a lot of the routines provided here !

And Mark is clear and funny, a really nice guy ! Thanks (and we want more !!!)

Mark James teaches much more than great effects on these DVDs--he offers great advice on performance. These two DVDs are fantastic in every respect!

Highly recommended.

A.J.

Hiya Gang,

After watching a run of brutal DVDs- these came across my desk and, I have to be perfectly honest, they were an absolute pleasure to watch. If I were to throw a party, Mark James would be the type of person I'd want working.

I'll be reviewing an effect from them for Magic Friday soon.

~jamie

Nice. I just bought these at Midwest Magic yesterday. I don't know anything about Mark James' work but I have never been disappointed by a rsvpmagic release. I have yet to watch them but I am very excited after seeing these glowing reviews. I will check them out tonight.

Now reviewed here:

Magic Friday

Thanks for reading!

~jamie

Alternative Not so Fanboyish review

I just watched thru the first disc after reading the glowing hyped reviews and I cant totally agree with them... The first disc is good, and maybe even above the average magic dvd that usually comes into market... However it is far from amazing and surely it isn't a total 10 that the first review gave it to.

Production values and such are great as with all RSVP products. Its extremely nice to see some real world material presented for the real people in real world settings and so on.

However, what makes this NOT a 10 in my book is the material itself. There really isn't anything wrong in the material by any means. All of them are real workable routines, have some very nice moments but as the sets names says, THEY ARE ALL CLASSICS. With minor bits and business added into each of them. In other words you are just going to get just another:

Chop cup routine... Some nice moments here, but still, its just a chop cup. Nothing earth shakingly new in it...

Card under glass... Well, a cup in this case and with Mark Masons though of card ploy... Done by 276 other magicians who do thought of card work...

Ambitious card with Omnideck finish... Well... Must be the most common usage for omnideck... Otherwise just common AC routine...

Invisible deck... Now I agree that it is maybe underused, but still... most of us know it and some of us are smart enought to use it

Red Hot Mama/chicago opener with more climaxes...

I am a worker and I allready have my own routine for all of the plots above. I am sure that most of the other workers do as well. Even thought they might get a few bits or pieces from this set (and that would be wonderful) I doubt any would switch they routine into ones here, if they are allready comfortable with their own routine.

Also, most routines here used table. I personally try to rise all my effects above the table. Then they can be seen in large dinner tables that are common in corporate banquets. Also I don't have to move tablewear around so that people can see what I am doing and I don't mess my props if the table happens to be wet or dirty as they easily can be in the restaurants.

So the routines are good, workable material for real world, but at least in my case, I will still keep doing my own versions of them and keep my chop cup still in my drawer... I don't agree at all it being perfect opener... making spectators guess wrong 10 times in the first 3 minutes at the table isn't my cup of tea.

7,5-8 / 10 at most... Worth looking into, but surely not a complete 10/10

Sincerely

Juha-Matti Ristiharju

PS I am pretty sure that I read that the center slip thing in AC routine is from Sadowich... Not Tamariz...

I agree with the above post.

With all the positive feedback on here I bought them.

They're ok. Not great.

Chop Cup Routine - probably not as good as the Sanderson routine that RSVP released a few years ago.

Invisible Deck - other than reminding people how good this trick is, this shouldn't have been on the DVD. He doesn't really have a presentation for it, just the usual routine.

Ambitious Card with Omnideck finish : Not as good as the Sanderson routine that RSVP released a few years ago.

Red Hot Mama routine : It was ok. Not my thing personally, for my taste it's not clear enough to the spectators what is happening.

Multiple Selection : Doing this with 4 cards is almost not worth doing IMO. There are better handlings of this on the Doc Eason and Bill Malone DVDs.

Logical Sponge Balls : Again, nothing new here, why put it on a DVD?

Royal Stab : This is a marketed item that needs a gimmicked card to do the trick. Why put it on a DVD?

Skittled : I liked this. Basically its an existing handling of a t+r sugar packet done with a small candy wrapper. I did like this.

He also does a homing card sequence on one of the DVDs that I remember thinking that Matthew Dowden's repeat card to pocket on his Party Animal set (also an RSVP product) was far far superior to.

Eric James is a good performer. But this material didn't warrant a 2 DVD set in my honest opinion, especially when so much of this ground has been covered by existing releases that RSVP magic themselves have put out.

Also, Russ : Why do you include so many shots during explanations of the performer speaking while looking at THE WRONG CAMERA? I noticed this all over the Matthew Dowden Party Animal set as well.

- It's so often and always at the start of each explanation so I'm assuming it's a deliberate thing, like if you're watching on fast-forward and you get to that spot and then you know that he's on the next trick or something? I can understand that being done on VHS tapes (from memory Mark Leveridge used a similar idea on his old VHS tapes, as did Jon Allen on his Spectators Don't Exist video), but these are DVDs, not videos. Everyone just hits the "next" button to skip scenes....

It makes the performer look really unprofessional, like he doesn't know what camera he's meant to be looking into. Please stop doing this on your releases

As an aspiring "worker" I appreciate the way it appeared someone of moderate technical skills but excellent personal skills could be a successful professional. In addition I thought had a small nuacne in the sponge routine. That made it very slightly different then other - being able to show "your" ball after loading the spectators hand. I have been using this touch. I thought the full perfomance advise and nuances were of value. To an already successful worker, I can see that these DVDs would be of limited value, if as noted above you already have a solution for the above effects that you are happy with. I am not sure how a feel about the complicating phases of the chicago opener. I love the rainbow finish but how often do you have that much spread space on a resteraunt table.

Xcath1 makes some good points.

First off, I really think critical evaluation (korttihai_82 & futureal) of products is a good thing, especially after the 'honeymoon period'.

This set is not perhaps for the full time pro. But for those with aspirations / part timers (that's me!) / hobbyists, I still think it is a very good set, especially at the price it was initially released at.
I think the main point about this set is that it gives a variety of solid material, and is not at all knuckle busting.

Looking back, I have only adopted one routine (see below), but have picked up several 'touches' that have enhanced my own presentations.
Chicago Quadropener - I have used this (paid) a few times now, and it has really played very well - why? because it involves several people. There was no confusion (that I could see), just an effect that involved the whole table / group, and progressively built. I finish the routine by placing the Ace gaff in between the two jokers, in a spec's hand for the final revelation. This motivates putting the deck away, and frames the climax (again, imho). I have missed out the rainbow switch a couple of times now, and would not use it for strolling - I don't really think that it is needed (perhaps a 'nice to have' not a 'need to have' kicker).

To finish, I think Mark James entertains his audience. Certainly not everyone's style, but as noted by Jamie D Grant, you would welcome them at your party! I would still recommend these!

Charlie

I don't think his performance ability was ever in question.

I hardly ever post, and even less frequently post a review, however this DVD set really seemed like something everyone should know about.
Why?
It’s been mentioned before - so all I can do is echo what’s been said. These are not just tricks, they are full routines, with each effect flowing into one another. That’s the reason that I would, without hesitation, suggest these DVD’s to any magician. Each routine has been carefully planned, leaving it structured and smooth.

Mark is a true pro, and the DVD quality by Russ at RSVP Magic, is up to their usual amazing standards.
Once again, I highly recommend you pick up these DVDs - you won’t regret it.

Stephen